Paris, 1872. This was the time and place in which Simon Tissot Dupont took the first steps in creating a true luxury product. From a simple beginning that consisted of creating travel trunks, his company ST Dupont has now morphed into one of the world’s most renowned luxury brands, offering pens, bags, lighters, and more.

One particular thing that makes ST Dupont so special is that the company prides itself in forming fantastic partnerships – from deals with big franchises such as James Bond 007 and Star Wars, to artistic dealings with Fender, and even the Picasso legacy. One smaller (but just as fantastic!) partnership that we love is with Philippe Tournaire, master jeweler, who shapes precious metals into extremely unique smoking and writing instruments. This YouTube video will give you a deeper look into Tournaire’s amazing artistic talent.

One of our absolute favorite Dupont x Tournaire collaborations is a beautiful snake ashtray and lighter set, featured below.

The Snake

Before you start picturing images of villainous snakes (we get it: Nagini from the Harry Potter series, Kaa from The Jungle Book, and let’s not forget the infamous snakes from Snakes on a Plane!), you may want to think twice. Over the years, snakes have been symbols of many positive things including fertility, rebirth, transformation, and healing. The shedding of their skin distinctly represents a new life and a new chance. They have also been known to be guardians of certain spaces, and protectors. Even in the zodiac system still used today and originally rooted in Asian culture, snakes are representative of supreme intelligence, even reaching divination.

So what better way to incorporate this snake symbol than into smoking accessories? And in a similarly symbolic fashion, the ST Dupont set has been limited to 88 pieces worldwide, making this pair of smoking goods as elusive as the snake itself.

The Ashtray

The first piece of this beautiful pair is a one-of-a-kind ashtray that exhibits the characteristics of sophistication and intelligence mentioned above. The weight is one of the first things you’ll notice about this ashtray – an extremely heavy feel that surely won’t flinch as it’s being used. It also works perfectly as a centerpiece on any smoking table, since the four rests can be accessed from any angle. From a visual perspective, the three-dimensional snake coming out of the center of the ashtray is totally unique and is a perfect example of the ingenuity and creativity that Tournaire puts into every single product.

The Lighter

The double-burner snake lighter in this two piece set is just as striking as the ashtray. The Ligne 2 lighter is created from a beautiful black Chinese lacquer, made in brass with a white bronze and silver polish overlay. However, the best feature has to be the amazing green emerald eyes! Inevitably the envy of any lighter enthusiast, this piece exhibits the mystery and power common to the global theme of what snakes symbolize.

Love this Pair?

In love with snakes, or know a snake enthusiast who needs this set in their collection? Be sure to visit our website here to order this extremely rare pair or to get more information.